Thornhill

Overview

Beautiful Thornhill is located in the York Region of the Greater Toronto Area, conveniently sitting just North of the City of Toronto. More and more families are choosing Thornhill as their home due to the recreational opportunities, friendly community, and close proximity to the City of Toronto.

Along the historical Yonge Street, tourists and locals alike often head to the Promenade shopping mall, containing over 175 service and retails stores! If you like to kick back and relax, there are several spas in the Thornhill area. You can also take a limousine tour of the beautiful and historic sites of the village.

If you’re more inclined to partake in outdoor activities, be sure to venture to Uplands Avenue. There you’ll find a popular ski hill in the winter, and a gorgeous golf course in the summer.

The Thornhill Village Festival takes place near the end of the summer, and includes activities for the whole family to enjoy. For additional family activities, classes for the kids, or to maintain an active lifestyle, there are multiple community centres in the area, each offering unique opportunities. Many offer personal fitness training and nutritional resources as well as summer camps and drop-in programs for kids. Activities including arts and crafts, and sports such as bowling, hockey, skating, swimming, and fitness classes are all part of the many recreational options available.

Recreation

Thornhill contains several community and recreation centres for its residents. These community centres feature swimming pools, indoor and outdoor skating rinks, fitness centres and gymnasiums.

City owned swimming pools offer learn to swim programs including the Lifesaving Society’s Swim for Life program. This program offers valuable information regarding water safety, respect, and swimming skills. Thornhill pools also offer swimming lessons, pool rental for parties, and recreational swim classes. Arenas and gymnasiums include various sport options including basketball, badminton, table tennis, hockey, skating, soccer and more.

The opportunities for children are endless. Thornhill recreation centres offer drop-in programs, school break and summer day camps, and single day workshops. Various youth programs are offered to encourage creativity, physical activity, and to develop new skills. Activities are designed to appeal to youth of all ages, and include something fun for all interests.

History

The village of Thornhill was first established in 1794 when the earliest settlers arrived. The first to settle on the Markham side of Thornhill along Yonge Street was named Nicholas Miller. Asa Johnson was the first to settle to the West on the Vaughan side.

Thornhill was since named after an early settler who arrived in 1820 by the name of Benjamin Thorne. A sawmill, gristmill, and tannery was established within the community by Thorne. The village was located along Yonge Street, a popular transportation route, allowing Thornhill to flourish quickly. The introduction of an electric street railway in 1898 made it possible for workers to commute to the City of Toronto for work, increasing the popularity of the area.

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